Cinderella
by Sweet Decadence
Summary: It's been a long day and there's still work to do She's pulling at me saying "Dad, I need you There's a ball at the castle, and I've been invited And I need to practice my dancing. Oh, please, Daddy, please?" Song:: Cinderella- Stephen Curtis Chapman


_She spins and she sways to whatever song plays _

_Without a care in the world _

_And I'm sitting here wearing the weight of the world on my shoulders_

"Aren't I so pretty Daddy?" She giggles as she twirls in circles in front of me.

"Of course you are, Sweetie," I smile as her long red curls spin around her face.

"I'm a princess you know," She nods as she points her toy wand at my face, "A magical princess. All the princes want a magical princess. Regular princesses are just boring."

"Oh, I believe it," I chuckled as I turn back to the stack of papers on the table.

"What are you doing?" She asks with a tilt of her head.

"Well, Daddy has a lot of papers to fill out. Very droll stuff you know."

"It sounds it," she says with a disgusted crinkle of her nose and goes back to dancing and twirling around the room.

"Ronald?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you to watch Rosie for a bit, Hugo has an appointment," Hermione rushed as she snatched her keys off the counter.

"'Mione, I have so much backwork to catch up on-"

"Ronald, I don't think it'll be a problem. You're one of the top Aurors, I think they'll forgive you a few sheets of paper. Okay I have to go," She stops quickly to kiss me goodbye, "Hugo! Get the Quidditch figure out of your nose! Oh, and Ronald!"

"Yes, Dear."

"Start dinner! It's in the icebox!"

"Yes, Dear."

I shake my head, bemused, as I get back to my work.

_It's been a long day and there's still work to do _

_She's pulling at me saying, "Dad I need you._

_There's a ball at the castle, and I've been invited _

_And I need to practice my dancing"_

"Dinner, Dinner," I say to myself as I rummage through the mess in the icebox, "'Mione, you need to clean this out."

"Daddy?"

"What Rosie?" I answer without looking at her.

"Guess what?

"Um," I reply as I turn to face her, "Hugo tried to eat your dolly's head again?"

"No, Daddy," she giggles as she adjusts the newly placed tiara on her head and rocks on her heels, "Try again."

"Uncle Harry finally decided to pay me the money he owes me from that Quidditch bet?" I smirk as I turn back to to find dinner.

"No, Silly," she sighs as she tugs on my sleeve, "I got a invitation."

"Where'd you get an invitation from?" I raise an eyebrow.

"From the Royal Family of course."

Hermione and her Fairy stories or whatever they're called.

"The Royal Family, eh?" I smirk as I crouch down to her level.

"Yes. To a ball. A giant one. All of the bestest princes will be there," she smiles as she spins again, "And we'll live happier ever after."

"Is that so?" I chuckle as I brush a curl out of her face.

"Yes. But I need help."

"Oh yeah? With what?"

"I need to practice dancing. No prince will marry me if I don't know how to dance pretty."

"Well, I suppose that's true. But they would be stupid not to marry you anyways."

_"Oh please, Daddy, please?"_

"Daddy? Will you dance with me? I can't practice dancing all by myself. It would look silly."

"Sure you could," I smile as I pretend to dance around the kitchen.

"Daddy, you look daft," she rolls her little blue eyes.

"Oh really, I look daft?" I frown as I creep towards her.

"Yes," She nods curtly.

So much like her mother.

"Well, I never was much of a good dancer by myself. I need a partner."

"Daddy, will you help me dance?" She looks up at me with pleading eyes.

"I will happily dance with the prettiest princess in the world," I grin as I lift her into my arms.

_So I dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms _

_'Cause I know something the Prince never knew _

_Oh, I dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song _

_'Cause all too soon the clock will strike Midnight and she'll be gone_

"Rosie's got a boyfriend, Rosie's got a-"

"Hugo, shut it!" She shouts at her brother.

"Rose, don't yell at your brother! Hugo, don't patronize your sister!" Hermione scolds from the kitchen.

"Oi, Rosie?" I call as I fold my paper on my lap.

"Yes Daddy?" She smiles.

"What's this about a boyfriend?" I pique an eyebrow at her.

"He's not my boyfriend," She rolls her eyes as she sits next to me, "He just asked me to the Ministry Christmas Ball is all."

"Who is he?"

"Um... promise you won't be mad?" She cringes.

"I promise I won't be mad. Unless it's Malfoy."

"Daddy," she huffs.

"Blimey it is Malfoy, isn't it?" I grumble.

Not like we hadn't seen this coming from bloody miles away.

_She says he's a nice guy, and I'd be impressed _

_She wants to know if I approve of the dress _

_She says, "Dad the prom is just one week away and I need to practice my dancing"_

"He's not bad, Daddy," She fiddles with the edge of her sleeves, "He's smart, and funny, and charming..."

"Does he treat you nicely?" I ask with a furrowed brow.

"Nicer than any male in the world."

"Eh?"

"Minus you, Daddy," She chuckles, "You know you don't count in that tally."

I take a deep breath and set my paper to the side.

"So he's not a daft moron like his father, then?"

"No, Daddy," She shakes her head with a smile.

"Alright then," I nod as I stand up to go help Hermione with dinner, "I'm happy if you're happy, Rosie, you know that."

"Daddy?" She calls as I'm walking away.

"Yeah?" I turn towards her.

"Well, the ball is next weekend."

"You need a dress then?" I scratch the back of my neck.

"No, I have one, Mummy bought it. You want to see it?"

"Um, sure" I shrug as I sit on the back of the couch.

"I'll be right back," She grins as she rushes down the hall.

"Ron, are you coming to help or not?" Hermione huffs as she rests a hand on her hip.

"Rosie's showing me her dress for that ball thing," I half-smile.

"Oh, wait until you see her in it, Ron!" Hermione claps, "She looks so grown-up and mature!"

"I don't want her looking grown up," I gulp nervously, "That's my little girl you're talking about."

"She's growing up Ron," Hermione said sadly as she rested her hands on my shoulders, "And the only thing we can do about it is accept it.

"I don't want to," I pout.

_"Oh please, Daddy, please?"_

"Oh, look at you!" Hermione mushes as Rose walks into the common room.

Hermione sees a maturing young woman.

I see that little girl twirling around me with the tiara in her hair and the wand in her hand.

"Do you like it?" Rose asks me as she twirls around.

"You look gorgeous, Rosie," I smile, feeling my eyes water up.

I don't want her to grow up.

"So Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"I need to dance next week."

"That is what you do at a ball, yeah?" I reply, still imagining my little spinning princess.

"Well, would you help me practice? It's been so long since I've danced and I-"

"Of course I will, Rosie," I smile as I hug her tightly.

_So I dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms _

_'Cause I know something the Prince never knew _

_Oh, I dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song _

_'Cause all too soon the clock will strike Midnight and she'll be gone_

"Daddy! Mummy!" I hear a screech from the kitchen and a jingle of keys

"What is it?" Hermione panics as she rushes into the kitchen, with me following closely behind.

"I'm getting married!" Rosie cries happily as she bounces up and down and shoves the ring on her hand toward us.

"Oh, my little girl!" Hermione cries as she hugs Rose as tightly as she can.

"Congrats Rosie," I smile as I cut in and hug her.

"I can't believe it!" She giggles.

Like a little girl again. That little dancing princess.

"It was so sweet, Mum," she coos as she sits at the table.

"How did he propose?" Hermione claps as she sits next to her.

I shove my hands in my pockets and lean on the wall as I watch the two talk excitedly, all about how Malfoy proposed, the wedding plans thusfar, who was going to be in the Bridal and Groom party.

I was losing my daughter.

I was losing my little princess.

_Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand _

_Just glowing and telling us all they had planned _

_She says, "Dad the wedding's still six months away _

_But I need to practice my dancing"_

"Daddy, you will walk me down the aisle, right?" She asks.

"Of course I will," I smile, "What kind of Father would I be if I didn't?"

"Well, I know you don't like the Malfoys and-"

"Rose, are you happy?" I interrupt.

"Completely." She sighs happily.

"Then it doesn't matter how I feel about the Malfoys. I just want you to be happy."

"Oh Daddy," She cries as she runs over and hugs me, "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Rosie. I love you too."

_"Oh please, Daddy, please?"_

"So the wedding is in six months," She says as she takes off her coat.

"We have so much planning to do!" Hermione panics as she pulls out her scheduler, "We need to book the location, and the caterers, and the band..."

"Daddy?" Rose says quietly while Hermione keeps babbling to herself as she jots notes down.

"Yeah Rosie?" I smile, trying to hold back the tears that are burning my eyes.

I don't want to let her go.

But I have to.

"Will you help me practice dancing?" She looks at me with those same big blue eyes as she did when she was still a little girl.

"I will happily dance with the prettiest princess in the world," I smile as I pull her close and a tear creeps down my cheek.

_So I dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms _

_'Cause I know something the Prince never knew _

_Oh, I dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song _

_'Cause all too soon the clock will strike Midnight and she'll... be... gone._


End file.
